Subscribe Login

Current Temperature

Log In

May 3, 2026 May 3, 2026

Send a Letter to The Editor

Recent News →

• Canada’s Nature Strategy: Minister Hunter
• Daylight saving time a mistake
• There is something almost too convenient in how quickly Canadians point south when discussing unpredictability in trade. Yes, Donald Trump has long been synonymous with volatility. But focusing solely on Washington risks missing a more uncomfortable truth: Ottawa has become just as difficult to read. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Canada’s posture toward the United States has shifted with surprising speed, less theatrical than Trump’s but no less consequential. In April 2025, he promised a renewed economic and security partnership. By the summer, the existing deal was described as the best possible outcome. Fast forward to April 2026, and suddenly, reliance on the U.S. is framed as a strategic weakness. All of this, notably, after months without meaningful engagement or negotiation. This shift in messaging matters, especially when delivered in a widely viewed address suggesting that CUSMA (the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, which replaced NAFTA in 2020) is somehow on life support. It leaves industry asking a basic question: what exactly is the plan? That lack of clarity extends beyond messaging into how Canada is organizing its response. The revival of a Trudeau-era advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations might suggest renewed seriousness. And to be fair, its composition is more balanced than critics might assume. Figures like Ken Seitz and Michael Harvey bring genuine expertise in fertilizers and agricultural trade, critical inputs for food production. Others offer adjacent perspectives: Jean Simard understands packaging and processing supply chains; Jonathan Price connects to resource extraction essential for fertilizer inputs; and P. J. Akeeagok brings a grounded view of food security in remote regions. More important is what is missing: primary producers. Farmers. Western Canadian voices. Those operating at the very front lines of production. In a sector that is geographically vast and structurally complex, that omission is not trivial; it is strategic. And it reinforces the larger problem. Canada is not speaking with clarity because it is not grounded in the realities of its own production base. For an agri-food sector that, according to federal trade data, sends roughly 75 per cent of its exports to the United States policy ambiguity is not an academic concern, it is a business risk. Companies are not waiting for clarity. They are hiring consultants, restructuring supply chains, and preparing for a post-CUSMA environment. Not because it is inevitable, but because it is conceivable. That alone should raise alarms. The consequences of that uncertainty become clearer when compared to how others are acting. While Canada debates its posture, Mexico is moving decisively. Under Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, the government has demonstrated a level of strategic discipline that Canada would do well to study. Despite repeated provocations, from being labelled a “narco-president,” to symbolic disputes like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, to the ever-present rhetoric around border walls, Mexico has largely refused to take the bait. Instead of reacting to political distractions, it has stayed focused on trade, production and integration. That approach has paid off. Mexico did not escalate or grandstand. It did not reframe the partnership as a liability. It simply continued to deepen its role within the North American economy. And in doing so, it has strengthened its position as the United States’ most reliable agricultural and manufacturing partner. The result? Mexico is no longer just a participant in continental trade; it is becoming central to it. It is positioning itself as America’s fresh food basket, a year-round agricultural partner, and a seamless extension of the U.S. logistics and supply chain system. Canada, by contrast, risks drifting into a narrower role: a bulk commodity supplier with diminishing influence over consumer-facing markets. The contrast is striking. The U.S.-Mexico relationship is not without friction, but it is fundamentally aligned. Disputes happen within the partnership, not about its existence. Supply chains are being integrated, not questioned. The direction of travel is clear. Canada’s is not. And that is the real problem. Trade relationships do not unravel overnight. They erode gradually—through hesitation, mixed messaging and missed opportunities. What we are witnessing today is not a collapse, but a gradual separation in strategic direction. For a country whose prosperity is so tightly linked to cross-border trade, particularly in food, that is a risk we can ill afford. Because in the end, markets reward certainty. And right now, Canada is offering anything but. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. © Troy Media
• Canada is losing its grip on the U.S. market
• Province slammed for electoral boundaries plans

Recent Blog Posts →

• Canada’s Nature Strategy: Minister Hunter
• There is something almost too convenient in how quickly Canadians point south when discussing unpredictability in trade. Yes, Donald Trump has long been synonymous with volatility. But focusing solely on Washington risks missing a more uncomfortable truth: Ottawa has become just as difficult to read. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Canada’s posture toward the United States has shifted with surprising speed, less theatrical than Trump’s but no less consequential. In April 2025, he promised a renewed economic and security partnership. By the summer, the existing deal was described as the best possible outcome. Fast forward to April 2026, and suddenly, reliance on the U.S. is framed as a strategic weakness. All of this, notably, after months without meaningful engagement or negotiation. This shift in messaging matters, especially when delivered in a widely viewed address suggesting that CUSMA (the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, which replaced NAFTA in 2020) is somehow on life support. It leaves industry asking a basic question: what exactly is the plan? That lack of clarity extends beyond messaging into how Canada is organizing its response. The revival of a Trudeau-era advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations might suggest renewed seriousness. And to be fair, its composition is more balanced than critics might assume. Figures like Ken Seitz and Michael Harvey bring genuine expertise in fertilizers and agricultural trade, critical inputs for food production. Others offer adjacent perspectives: Jean Simard understands packaging and processing supply chains; Jonathan Price connects to resource extraction essential for fertilizer inputs; and P. J. Akeeagok brings a grounded view of food security in remote regions. More important is what is missing: primary producers. Farmers. Western Canadian voices. Those operating at the very front lines of production. In a sector that is geographically vast and structurally complex, that omission is not trivial; it is strategic. And it reinforces the larger problem. Canada is not speaking with clarity because it is not grounded in the realities of its own production base. For an agri-food sector that, according to federal trade data, sends roughly 75 per cent of its exports to the United States policy ambiguity is not an academic concern, it is a business risk. Companies are not waiting for clarity. They are hiring consultants, restructuring supply chains, and preparing for a post-CUSMA environment. Not because it is inevitable, but because it is conceivable. That alone should raise alarms. The consequences of that uncertainty become clearer when compared to how others are acting. While Canada debates its posture, Mexico is moving decisively. Under Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, the government has demonstrated a level of strategic discipline that Canada would do well to study. Despite repeated provocations, from being labelled a “narco-president,” to symbolic disputes like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, to the ever-present rhetoric around border walls, Mexico has largely refused to take the bait. Instead of reacting to political distractions, it has stayed focused on trade, production and integration. That approach has paid off. Mexico did not escalate or grandstand. It did not reframe the partnership as a liability. It simply continued to deepen its role within the North American economy. And in doing so, it has strengthened its position as the United States’ most reliable agricultural and manufacturing partner. The result? Mexico is no longer just a participant in continental trade; it is becoming central to it. It is positioning itself as America’s fresh food basket, a year-round agricultural partner, and a seamless extension of the U.S. logistics and supply chain system. Canada, by contrast, risks drifting into a narrower role: a bulk commodity supplier with diminishing influence over consumer-facing markets. The contrast is striking. The U.S.-Mexico relationship is not without friction, but it is fundamentally aligned. Disputes happen within the partnership, not about its existence. Supply chains are being integrated, not questioned. The direction of travel is clear. Canada’s is not. And that is the real problem. Trade relationships do not unravel overnight. They erode gradually—through hesitation, mixed messaging and missed opportunities. What we are witnessing today is not a collapse, but a gradual separation in strategic direction. For a country whose prosperity is so tightly linked to cross-border trade, particularly in food, that is a risk we can ill afford. Because in the end, markets reward certainty. And right now, Canada is offering anything but. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. © Troy Media
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers
• From the Archives of Western Newspapers

Public should demand more from politicians

Posted on January 7, 2020

Four years is a long time. Just ask Democrats in the United States, Conservatives in Canada, right-of-centre voters in Alberta during the last term of… Read More »

Copperheads start 2020 play

Posted on January 7, 2020

Coaldale Copperheads Regular season is winding down for the Copperheads with only three more homes games left at the Snake Pit. Coming off this weekend… Read More »

Amendments for Coaldale 2020 utility bylaw

Posted on January 7, 2020

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Coaldale town council is holding off approving their new utility rate bylaw pending amendments. During a special Dec. 16… Read More »

County council pre-approves fleet budget

Posted on January 7, 2020

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Lethbridge County ’s fleet replacement for 2020 includes two graders, and emergency services vehicle and mowers. During their regular… Read More »

Federal Tories should look for a new vision

Posted on January 2, 2020

There is a big difference between a “manager” and a “leader” and when it comes to politics, in particular leaders are in short supply. One… Read More »

Picture Butte Maple Estates bylaw to be rescinded in 2020

Posted on January 2, 2020

Town has information they need to not implement bylaw By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News Picture Butte town council plans to rescind the Maple Estate… Read More »

County council approves interim operating budget

Posted on January 2, 2020

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News During their regular Dec. 19 council meeting, Lethbridge County approved their 2020 interim Operating Budget. The budget, based on… Read More »

Copperheads Home Opener 2020

Posted on January 2, 2020

Coaldale Copperheads Opening off 2020 the Coaldale Copperheads Junior Hockey ( 18-9-1 ) team will start with a road game Friday, Jan. 4, in High… Read More »

Energy war room an expensive joke at best

Posted on December 23, 2019

“You can’t fight in here, this is the war room,” Peter Sellers says in the classic 1964 apocalyptic political satire “Dr. Strangelove.” One can be… Read More »

County council considers LUB bylaw amendment for hydrovac slurry facility

Posted on December 23, 2019

By Nikki Jamieson Sunny South News A public hearing is expected to be held Jan. 15 for a rezoning bylaw to allow for a hydrovac… Read More »

«

‹

313

314

315

›

»

Get More Sunny South News →

Log In To Comment Latest Paper Subscribe

Contact

• Staff
• Letters to The Editor

More

• About & Area Map
• Other Publications
• Links

Usage

• Terms of Service

Social

• Facebook
• Twitter